by Bryce Edwards

26 February 2007

The Maori Party's anti-immigrant populism

The Maori Party have adopted a new populist and racist anti-immigration policy. But whereas populists like Winston Peters have suggested there's too much asian immigration, the Maori Party say there are too many whites coming to New Zealand. Party leader, Tariana Turia lamely rejects the comparison, saying 'No, we aren't playing the race card, because we are not talking about Asian immigration.'

Turia says successive governments had used immigration against Maori - this time to stop the 'browning of New Zealand'. She says the effect of white immigration has been to stop the Maori gaining an additional electorate in the latest Statistics NZ calculation. Note that this false logic if refuted by Kiwiblog. But Helen Clark answered Turia perfectly sensibly, by saying 'Our country has been built on migration. You're part of it, I'm part of it, our forefathers were part of it.'

Unfortunately Maori nationalists have for a long time been anti-immigration. In the past Maori radicals have called for a complete halt to immigration (and especially pacific island immigration) until Treaty grievances are resolved.

TrackBack

Comments

The Maori Party's anti-immigrant populism

The Maori Party have adopted a new populist and racist anti-immigration policy. But whereas populists like Winston Peters have suggested there's too much asian immigration, the Maori Party say there are too many whites coming to New Zealand. Party leader, Tariana Turia lamely rejects the comparison, saying 'No, we aren't playing the race card, because we are not talking about Asian immigration.'

Turia says successive governments had used immigration against Maori - this time to stop the 'browning of New Zealand'. She says the effect of white immigration has been to stop the Maori gaining an additional electorate in the latest Statistics NZ calculation. Note that this false logic if refuted by Kiwiblog. But Helen Clark answered Turia perfectly sensibly, by saying 'Our country has been built on migration. You're part of it, I'm part of it, our forefathers were part of it.'

Unfortunately Maori nationalists have for a long time been anti-immigration. In the past Maori radicals have called for a complete halt to immigration (and especially pacific island immigration) until Treaty grievances are resolved.